“Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder) …”
in both of which I stir up
The word “stir up” comes from two words: through and stir and came to mean to wake up thoroughly roused. In the two following passages, this term is applied to Joseph and Jesus,
“Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife….” (Matthew 1:24).
“But He [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’” (Mark 4:38).
Peter wants his readers to wake up to the truth from “both” First and Second Peter of how the Bible can change our lives.
Principle:
God directs Christians to wake up to the reality of God’s Word so He can change their lives.
Application:
If we know the principles of God’s Word, we can apply those principles to experience. Deceiving Christian leaders today use many gimmicks to mislead Christians from operating in the Word of God. The Bible is our only criterion for determining what is true.
Satan loves Christians to fall asleep spiritually. Sometimes he slips them sleeping pills. He wants to sedate Christians into spiritual lethargy. The devil would love to put us to sleep. If he could slip us a sedative, he has done his job. The devil aims to lull Christians into spiritual drowsiness as much as to tempt them with blatant sin.
